The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), the umbrella body for advertising professionals in Nigeria, has announced the kick-off of the 21st edition of the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF). This announcement was made by the newly re-elected President of AAAN, Lanre Adisa, during a press conference held in Lagos.
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‎In addition, a new leadership was unveiled for the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival Management Board. The newly appointed board members include Funke Adekola, President; Jumoke Akinyele, Vice President; Victor Oyaroro; Tobi Williams; Rotimi Ade-Onajobi; Toheeb Balogun; Anne Obaseki; Dr. Meksley Nwagboh; Segun Akinyemiju; Sandra Amachree; Israel Obatunde; Olabisi Olusanya; and Jonathan Oyovwevotu.
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‎Speaking at the press conference, Adisa described this year’s LAIF theme, “From Glitch to Great,” as not just a slogan but a powerful reminder that the path to greatness is rarely perfect.
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‎“Every great idea faces obstacles. Every creative breakthrough is preceded by moments of doubt, disruption, experimentation, and even glitches. What distinguishes great creators is not the absence of challenges but the courage and resilience to learn, adapt, and keep creating. In many ways, it is the natural progression from grit through the inevitable glitches to greatness. That is the story of LAIF, and indeed, the story of creativity itself,” he said.
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‎He noted that the AAAN remains committed to elevating LAIF from West Africa’s leading celebration of creativity to a globally respected benchmark for creative excellence, comparable to international award bodies such as Loeries, African Cristal, and Pitchers.
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‎“That journey from glitch to great, from local acclaim to global relevance, will demand more from all of us: more originality, more craft, more innovation, and more courage to create ideas that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best in the world,” he said.
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‎In her remarks, the newly elected President of the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) Management Board, Funke Adekola, stated that the new board is committed to building on the previous board’s key learnings and structural momentum and to creating a festival that truly reflects where the industry has moved, as well as a governance structure that mirrors the modern creative economy.
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‎Adekola stated that the new leadership will drive LAIF not only to establish itself as the champion of creative advertising but also as the ultimate benchmark for total business and cultural impact. She explained that the team is determined to position LAIF as the launchpad for the next operating system for African creativity, not just celebrating excellence but catalysing the future.
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‎“As we step into a brand-new cycle today, we are not here merely to announce an award show. We are here to announce an evolution. This board stands on the shoulders of two decades of remarkable progress, and we are stepping into this season with a commitment to honour our past while fearlessly defining our future,” she said.
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‎The one-week-long event will feature knowledge-sharing sessions, including C-suite fireside chats and masterclasses dissecting tech, AI, brand strategy, and commercial growth; youth hackathons empowering professionals under 30 and university chapters tagged Young LAIFers & UniLAIFers; the Nominees Party & LAIF Awards Gala. The LAIF Festival week will take place from November 23, 2026, to November 28, 2026, with entry dates to be announced soon.